Business owner was 5x legal drinks limit

A Perth businessman decided to take his car to buy cigarettes because it was raining.

But he was stopped by police because of his erratic driving - and found to be more than FIVE times over the limit.

Thirty-five-year-old Erkin Tas, of James Street, was left counting the cost of his nicotine habit when he was fined £1,000 and banned for 28 months.

He admitted driving his Mercedes in Perth’s Scott Street on January 11 with 119 microgrammes of alcohol on his breath.

The maximum allowed is 22 microgrammes.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode told Perth Sheriff Court that police were on uniformed mobile patrol shortly after 11pm.

They saw the Merc being driven slowly - and then quickly speeding up.

He was seen veering towards the middle line of the road and was followed.

When they activated their blue, flashing light, he stopped in the middle of the road and was then asked to pull over.

Police detected a“smell of alcohol”when he stepped out of the car.

He later provided breath specimens which showed he was over the limit.

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said he owns a business in Perth city centre and on a“good month”could earn £2,500.

“He had been drinking during the evening and about 10.30 decided to go out and buy cigarettes.

“He decided to take his car as it was raining. He felt fine to drive,”added the lawyer.

“He should have made a different decision and walked to the shop.”

Sheriff Gillian Wade noted that the accused has a previous conviction for a similar offence and imposed the hefty fine and lengthy ban.